Top Senate Republican seeks Menendez ethics probe after mistrial

WASHINGTON - The majority leader of the U.S. Senate on Thursday called for the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the charges against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez following his mistrial in the federal case.

"His trial shed light on serious accusations of violating the public's trust as an elected official, as well as potential violations of the Senate's Code of Conduct," said U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

"Because of the seriousness of these charges, I am calling on the Senate Ethics committee to immediately investigate Senator Menendez's actions which led to his indictment," said McConnell, who chaired the ethics committee when it unanimously recommended the expulsion of U.S. Sen. Bob Packwood, R-Ore., in 1995. Packwood later resigned.

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., the vice chairman of the ethics panel, said he could not comment on the Senate leader's call for an investigation.

Menendez's chief of staff, Fred Turner, said there was no need for another probe.

"The ethics committee will come to no different conclusion than this jury did," Turner said. "There is no merit to further pursuing this matter."

Menendez, one of only 12 U.S. senators ever to be indicted, was with 12 counts, including briber and conspiracy for allegedly accepting trips and contributions from a friend and campaign donor, Dr. Salomon Melgen, in exchange for intervening with federal agencies on his behalf.

A jury deadlocked Thursday on all 12 counts, leading U.S. District Court Judge William Walls to declare a mistrial.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who testified in the Menendez trial on the senator's behalf, welcomed the judge's decision.

"I'm pleased for Bob," said Graham, R-S.C. "I always thought he was an honest guy."

Other legislators said they always believed in Menendez's innocence

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. said there wasn't much of a case to begin with.

"I think Senator Menendez was not guilty of the charges," said Pallone, D-6th Dist. "I always felt he would be vindicated."

"My good friend Bob Menendez is not going anywhere and I look forward to his return to Washington where I know he will continue to do what he does best, fight for the people of New Jersey," said Rep. Albio Sires, D-8th Dist., like Menendez a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus,

Besides facing an ethics investigation, Menendez still could be in legal jeopardy if federal prosecutors decide to retry him.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a former Connecticut attorney general, said he didn't know if the Justice Department would meet with any more success the second time around. While alluding to reports that 10 of the 12 jurors wanted to acquit Menendez, he said it was not his call to make.

"That kind of result reflects very significant weaknesses in a prosecutor's case," Blumenthal said. "That decision is up to the prosecutor, not for me."

Likewise, Graham noted that the U.S. Supreme Court made such prosecutions harder but declined to say whether the charges should be dropped. In June 2016, a unanimous court threw out the conviction of former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell, who had accepted gifts, loans and vacations from a Richmond businessman while arranging meetings with state officials.

"We'll see what the government does," Graham said. "It could be a tough road for the government but that's up to them."